The invention relates to a method and a service switching point for requesting information during incoming calls to a subscriber in a communications network.
Communications networks are, for example, in the form of fixed networks or radio networksxe2x80x94such as the known GSM mobile radio network (Global System for Mobile Communications)xe2x80x94and have switching devices which are networked with one another. In mobile radio networks, base stations are in each case connected to the switching devices and allow communications terminals to be connected via an air interface. These communications terminals allow a radio subscriber in the radio network access to the network. Furthermore, the switching device can handover the subscriber and communicated-terminal to other networks, for example data transmission networks or a fixed network.
The GSM mobile radio network teaches subscriber databases to be used as memory units in which subscriber-specific dataxe2x80x94for example relating to the services for which the subscriber has registeredxe2x80x94are in each case stored. One of these memory units provides the so-called home location register which, as a rule, is located at a permanently defined point and in which the data on which the registration of the subscriber are based are stored. Depending on the present location of the mobile subscriber, one memory unit is provided as a so-called visitor location register. Depending on the location of the mobile subscriber, the memory unit for the visitor location register in which the data that are specific for this subscriber are located also changes.
Known communications networks support additional services for the subscribers by forming an intelligent network (IN) using service control points. Such a communication network can be a fixed network or a mobile radio network. These service control points store profiles of the additional services. The control points and profiles include the information required to provide the additional services and can thus change the additional services independently of the respective communications network. In this case, the services that can be used in an intelligent network are initiated in a service switching point. This brings about an exit from the normal call processing and activates the access to the additional services. A CAMEL platform (Customized Application for Mobile network Enhanced Logic) is known from xe2x80x9cThe CAMEL feature, proposed revisions to the stage 1 descriptionxe2x80x9d, from ETSI/STC/SMG1. 14.03.95, GSM 02.78, Version 0.4.0, pages 1-14, which makes possible the support of additional provider-specific services for subscribers, for example even when such subscribers are abroad. An operator-specific additional service can thus be used beyond the network and service boundaries of a communications network. This is the situation when the service switching point that initiates the additional service can process the required (CAP) signalling (CAMEL Application Part) for the requested service. Then, signaling information can be interchanged beyond the network boundaries, from and to the home location register, and to the service control point of the additional service.
When a call connection is initiated, the switching device responsible for the incoming call carries out a two-stage location interrogation. In the first stage, the switching device sends a request to the home location register to initiate a dialogue with a service control point, provided an IN/CAMEL subscription entry exists for the subscriber. In the second stage, the switching device requests the home location to request for a mobile subscriber roaming number from a switching device that is currently controlling the radio subscriber being called, and transmit this to the switching device responsible for the incoming call. In the process, the service control point transmits information such as parameters relating to call charging. However, the service control point only transmits this information once in the course of this two-stage interrogation procedure. Accessing data and parameters in the service control point later is impossible. This means that any new information for the called subscriber must be restandardised in each individual case, and a corresponding transmission mediumxe2x80x94for example a new message containerxe2x80x94must be provided. Furthermore, the only information that can be transmitted is the information available with the interrogation of the service control point at the time when the connection is set up.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a method and service switching point for requesting information during incoming calls to a subscriber in a communications network that overcomes the described disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices of this general type and that improves information transmission during incoming calls.
With the foregoing and other objects in view, there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a method for requesting connection information during incoming calls, during and after the setting up of a connection, to a subscriber in a communications network. The method includes the following steps. Providing communications terminals connected to further devices. The communications terminal granting access to subscribers. Further providing networked switching devices connected to the communications terminals. The networked switching devices handing over subscribers to a further network. Further providing a subscriber database for storing data relating to the subscribers registered in the communications network. And, further providing a service switching point and a service control point for administering services. Sending information-request trigger information from the subscriber database during a connection setting-up procedure to the service switching point that is currently responsible for the subscriber. Storing an information-request trigger event in the service switching point. And, requesting the information directly from a service control point by the service switching point when the information-request trigger event is present.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the method further includes the following step. Transmitting data and parameters from the service control point via the service switching point to the communications terminal.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the data and parameters are passed on transparently from the service switching point to the communications terminal.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the method includes the following additional steps. Processing the data and parameters with the service switching point. And, passing the processed data and parameters to the communications terminal.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the service control point has an address stored with the information-request trigger information in the service switching point.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the method includes the following additional steps. Sending the information-request trigger information from the subscriber database upon receipt of a request from the switching device, which receives an incoming call. Requesting an indicator for the information directly from the service control point on the basis of an initiating message from the switching device. And, sending the information-request trigger information together with the indicator from the switching device via the subscriber database to the service switching point, in a request for transmission of a mobile subscriber roaming number, the mobile subscriber roaming number identifying the location of the subscriber.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the method can include the following additional step. Sending the information-request trigger information from the subscriber database to the service switching point in a message used for updating the location of the subscriber.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the method can include the following additional steps. Using the correlation information in the service control point and the service switching point. And, associating the information requested directly from the service control point with the respective call.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the method includes the following additional steps. Sending a set of a plurality of parameters from the service control point. Calculating a call charge from a first of the plurality of parameters before any tariff switching determined by the service switching point. And, calculating a call charge from a second of the plurality of parameters after the tariff switching.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the method can include the following additional steps. Sending further parameters from the service control point after any tariff switching determined by the service control point. And, then calculating the call charge.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the method can include the following additional step. After an information-request trigger event is satisfied, requesting, receiving, and sending to the communications terminal information from an Internet service unit with the service switching point.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the method can include the following additional steps. Sending correlation information from the service switching point to the service control point by which the Internet service unit requests the correlation information and associates the correlation information with the respective call.
With the foregoing and other objects in view, there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a service switching point assembly for requesting information during incoming calls to a subscriber in a communications network. The service switching point assembly includes communications terminals accessed by subscribers. The service switching point assembly also includes networked switching devices connected to the communications terminals and a networked switching device accessed by subscribers with the communication terminals and connected via further devices. The network switching device also hands over the communications terminals to a further network. The service switching point assembly also includes a service switching point and a service control point for administering services. The service switching point has a memory device for storing an information-request trigger event on the basis of information-request trigger information sent from the subscriber database, and a control device for producing a message which is sent directly to the service control point when the information-request trigger event for requesting information is present.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the memory device can store data and parameters transmitted from the service control point, and the control device can initiate the sending of the data and parameters to the communications terminal.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the memory device stores an address of the service control point, from which the information can be requested with the information-request trigger information.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the control device receives the information-request trigger information together with an indicator for the information which can be directly requested, in a request to transmit a mobile subscriber roaming number, which identifies the location of the subscriber, and having the memory device which stores the information-request trigger information together with the indicator.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the control device receives the information-request trigger information from the subscriber database in a message that is provided for updating the location of the subscriber.
As stated, the object of the invention is to specify a method and a service switching point by means of which the information transmission during incoming calls can be improved.
The method for information transmission according to the invention provides that trigger information is sent from the subscriber database to the service switching point that is currently responsible for the subscriber, and a trigger event is then stored with it in the service switching point. When the trigger event is present, the information is requested directly from a service control point by the service switching point. In this way, information can be called from the service control point both while connection is being set up and during an already existing connection, and can be made available to the subscriber or to his communications terminal. The invention provides for a direct request of information via a predetermined trigger event at any time. The invention enables data and parameters to transmit between the service control point and the service switching point or the switching device controlling the subscriber being called (Visited MSC) and/or the communications terminal, without any need to change messages between the access switching device (Gateway MSC), the subscriber databases and the service switching point for this purpose. This improves the signaling traffic and flexibility of information transmission, particularly with regard to new information. Respective adaptation of the standardized transmission methods for information, which are not yet known or are not yet ready for application, is unnecessary. This optimizes cooperation between the service control point and the communications terminalxe2x80x94either directly or via a service switching pointxe2x80x94even while a connection is being set up or during the connection.
According to a development of the invention, an address of the service control point from which the information can be requested is stored with the trigger information in the service switching point.
According to an advantage of the invention, the trigger information is sent from the subscriber database. The trigger information is sent after a request from the switching device that receives the incoming call. Then, an indicator for the information that can be requested directly is sent from the service control point on the basis of an initiating message from the switching device. The two information items are then sent jointly from the switching device via the subscriber database to the service switching point, in a request for transmission of a mobile subscriber roaming number which identifies the location of the subscriber. The information that results in the triggered request for information is thus passed to the service switching point using the two-stage interrogation process.
According to an advantageous development of the invention, which is an alternative to this, the trigger information is sent from the subscriber database to the service switching point in a message that is used for updating the location of the subscriber. Thus, the triggered request for information also can be initiated in a direct way by using an updating process that exists in the network. This procedure requires particularly little effort with regard to signalling traffic.
Another development of the invention provides for correlation information to be used by the service control point and by the service switching point. To form this association, the information requested directly from the service control point is associated with the respective call. This ensures a reliable association between the information provided and the respective call even if more than one request is triggered.
One particular variant of the invention provides that when a trigger event is satisfied, the service switching point requests, receives, and sends to the communications terminal information from an Internet service unit (Web server).xe2x80x94Preferably, the information is communicated via a service control point. Such communication enables transmissions from other service units. An example of such a service unit is a Web server. Information from such service units, such as stored e-mails, advertising, and the like can be transmitted directly to the subscriber or his communications terminal.
The service switching point according to the invention has a memory device. The memory storage device stores the trigger event on the basis of the trigger information sent from the subscriber database. The service switching point also has a control device for producing a message, which is sent directly to the service control point in order to request information when the trigger event is present.
Other features that are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a method and service switching point for requesting information during incoming calls to a subscriber in a communications network, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.